Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

A new study from RootMetrics has named EE as the fastest mobile broadband operator in Manchester (England) after it blitzed past rivals, including distant runner-up Three UK, to record an average download speed of 15.2Mbps (Megabits per second) and uploads of 9.4Mbps.

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

Internet provider BT Retail has confirmed that its broadband customers will, effective from later today, find themselves unable to access the Download4All and Movie2k websites after a court order issued in late April 2013 forced both to be censored over copyright infringement (piracy). More ISPs could follow.

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

Sea Fibre Networks has today launched the carrier-neutral METRO2C Alliance, which aims to bring the UK and Europe’s top fibre optic connectivity providers (i.e. those with a “dense fibre footprint and wide product choice“), data centre operators and Internet exchanges under a single Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

The deadline for a final round of bidding on the government’s £20 million Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF), which aims to help rural farmers, homes and businesses benefit from faster internet connectivity, has been extended for another three weeks.

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

ISP Gigaclear has signed a new deal with NETadmin Systems that should improve its customer support services and possibly even help to “speed up delivery” of their new 1Gbps (Gigabits per second) capable fibre optic broadband (FTTP) network to rural parts of England.

Author: Mark Jackson | 2 Comments

The European Commission’s (EC) competition authority has officially granted Major Projects Approval to the £50.8m state aid supported Connecting Cumbria project in North West England, which aims to roll-out BT’s superfast broadband (FTTC/P) services to over 93% of the county by the end of 2015. Oh and the speed target is now 240Mbps? Oops.

Author: Michael Cross | 2 Comments

ISP Sky Broadband (BSkyB) has started offering 3 months free Sky Line Rental with its unlimited broadband package, which saves up to £43.50 off the normal price (£14.50 a month) and means you only have to pay from £10 a month for the broadband and free weekend calls part (£7.50 if you have Sky TV).

Author: Mark Jackson | 14 Comments

BTOpenreach has launched a new “Plus” variant of its Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product, which allows rival ISPs access to use BT’s underground cable ducts and telegraph poles. The updated solution has been designed to meet the latest EU rules governing the use of state aid to improve UK broadband infrastructure.

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

As widely expected the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has today formally “cleared” Sky Broadband’s (BSkyB) £180m+ acquisition of O2 UK and sibling BE Broadband’s fixed line internet and phone customers.

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today announced the official shortlist of potential winners for its 15th annual 2013 internet industry awards, which has seen broadband providers like PlusNet, KC and Hyperoptic gaining the most nominations across multiple categories.

Author: Mark Jackson | 18 Comments

The communications regulator has today published a new report that outlines the availability of different communications services across the United Kingdom. In particular it finds that “standard broadband” services (i.e. HEADLINE speeds of at least 2Mbps) are now available to 95.3% of households and superfast (30Mbps+) to 67.9% .

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

Budget internet and phone provider TalkTalk has published its latest Q1-2013 results, which saw them add another +10,000 broadband subscribers (unchanged from Q4-2012) to total 4,063,000 customers. The number of people taking their Superfast Fibre (FTTC) service also grew to 73,000 (+21k and broadly unchanged from Q4-2012).

Author: Mark Jackson | 10 Comments

A new progress update from the government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has slyly taken all the credit for the private sectors own commercially funded efforts to improve superfast broadband access around the United Kingdom.

Author: Mark Jackson | 5 Comments

Small ISP Vivaciti has recently revamped its family focused standalone unlimited superfast broadband (FTTC) package – Fibre Unlimited – to include a free activation (this comes with the Openreach VDSL modem and an engineer install).